Privacy Notice

This notice describes how health information about you may be used, collected and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Our Legal Responsibility

As one of your care providers, we are legally required to protect the privacy of your personal health information. We collect personal health information about you directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf. The personal health information that we collect may include, for example, your name, date of birth, address, health history, record of your visits and the support you received during those visits.

We also may collect personal health information about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits us to do so. We make sure that only those people who need to see your personal records are allowed to look at them. We protect your information through our administrative policies and by adopting appropriate safeguards and security measures.

Your Personal Health Information (PHI) includes data that identifies you and reports about the care and services you receive at any of the sites of the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team Clinics and Physicians' Offices. Your record at the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team offices is the property of the Family Health Team (FHT) and your physician. The information in your file belongs to you and you may request to view your record at any time.

This notice applies to personal health information in all forms - verbal, written and electronic. It includes all information created by your physician, his/her staff, the FHT staff, consulting professionals working with the FHT, students and volunteers. As a provider of health care services, the Family Health Team is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of all personal health information, regardless of whether it is in verbal, written or electronic form.

» communicate with your various health care providers including your family physician and/other community agencies/institutions for continuity of care, in order to treat/support and care for you (unless you tell us otherwise);

» provide disclosure to family, friends, others - we may provide your PHI to a family member, friend, or other person you tell us is involved in your care, unless you object in whole or part;

» support Law enforcement - we may disclose PHI to government agencies and law enforcement personnel when the law requires it; for example, victims of abuse, neglect or when ordered to do so in judicial or administrative proceedings.

» support public health activities - we report information about various diseases to government offices in charge of collecting this information. We provide coroners, medical examiners with information about an individual's death.

» compile statistics (e.g., provincial/federal ministries require demographics, information about services provided you, how long you are waiting for these services, etc.) This anonymous information is being collected for the purpose of program development and system-level decision-making.

Request Restrictions » You have the right to ask that we limit how we use, collect and disclose your PHI. We will consider your request, but we are not legally required to accept it. If we accept your request, we will honour the request except in emergency situations.

Access/Correct Your Personal Health Record » You may access and correct your personal health records, or withdraw your consent for some of the above uses and disclosures by contacting us (subject to legal exceptions).

For More Information, Comments Or ComplaintsMinto-Mapleton FHT Privacy Officer is Shirley Borges who can be contacted at 519-638-2110 or by mail at: Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team, 11 Andrews Drive West, Drayton ON N0G 1P0.

You also have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner/ Ontario if you think we have violated your rights.The Commissioner can be reached at: 1-800-387-0073 or visit the IPC website @ www.ipc.on.ca

We take steps to ensure that everyone who performs services for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal health information for the purposes you have consented to.

All staff, students, volunteers, and consultants working with the FHT are required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

The Minto-Mapleton FHT reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and our privacy policy. When we make an important change to our policy, we will post the new notice.

Accessible Customer Service

A. BACKGROUND

The Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team (FHT) is committed to providing client-centred service.The FHT wants to ensure that it complies with Provincial standards to provide accessible customer service to all our clients, including those with a disability.

Provincial Accessibility Standards

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) was passed by the Ontario Legislature with the goal of creating standards to improve accessibility across the province in five areas:· Customer Service· Information and Communication· Transportation· Employment· Built Environment

The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service is the first of the five standards and will take effect on Jan. 1, 2012. This standard details specific requirements for service providers such as the Family Health Team.

The following is a summary of the key requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service:1. Establish policies, practices and procedures for providing goods or services to people with disabilities.2. Communicate with a person with a disability in a way that takes their disability into account.3. Set a policy to allow people to use their own personal assistive devices to access our goods or services.4. Allow people with disabilities to be accompanied by their guide dog or service animal in those areas of our premises that are open to the public, unless the animal is excluded by law.5. Permit people with disabilities who use a support person to bring that person with them while accessing goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties.6. Train staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who interact with the public or other third parties on our behalf on a number of topics as outlined in the Customer Service Standards.7. Establish a process for people to provide feedback on how you provide goods or services to people with disabilities. Also outline how you will respond to any feedback and take action on complaints.8. Provide notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on are unavailable.

B. PURPOSE

This policy establishes that goods and services provided by the Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team (FHT) shall be provided to persons with disabilities and all clients in accordance with the following key principles:- Dignity: Service is provided in a respectful manner consistent with the needs of the individual.- Independence: Services for persons with disabilities shall support their independence while respecting their right to safety and personal privacy.- Equity/Equality of Outcome: Service outcome is the same for persons with disabilities as for persons without disabilities.- Integrated: Services allow people with disabilities to fully benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in the same or similar way as other clients.

In addition to the above key principles as provided for in the Customer Service Standard, the Minto-Mapleton FHT will be:- Sensitive: Service is provided in a manner that is respectful to an individual’s needs.- Responsive: Service is delivered in a timely manner, considering the nature of the service and the accommodation required. For example, if needed, alternate formats will be provided by a specific deadline.

C. SCOPE

The subject policy is delivered in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and Regulation 429/07 Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, and is applicable to all policies, procedures and processes of the Minto-Mapleton FHT.

D. PROCEDURES1. Assistive DevicesPersons with disabilities shall be permitted to obtain, use or benefit from goods or services through the use of their own assistive devices. In the event a person with a disability is hindered from accessing goods or services and after consulting with the client, the Minto-Mapleton FHT will accommodate the client by using any other assistive measures available.

2. Service animals Service animals, such as but not limited to Guide dogs, Hearing dogs, Seizure Response dogs, other certified service animals shall be permitted entry to all FHT facilities and meeting rooms which are open to the public. A service animal is defined as: “Any animal where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person forreasons relating to his or her disability and if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse or other government issued certification confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.”

Service animals are not permitted:· Where food preparation is being undertaken; or· as otherwise disallowed by law.

Where a Service Animal is to be denied access to a facility or meeting room, other accommodations may be afforded, such as:· alternate meeting format, such as teleconference/videoconference, where technology permits;· deliver the goods or service at an alternate time or location;· any other assistive measures available to deliver a good or service to ensure equality of outcome.

Owners of Service Animals may receive information from staff as to the location of fresh water for the service animal and where service animals may be walked to relieve themselves.

3. Support PersonsSupport Persons shall be permitted entry to all FHT facilities and meeting rooms which are open to the public. Where a Support Person is necessary to protect the health or safety of the person with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises, the person with a disability shall be accompanied by a Support Person when on the premises. The client shall determine whether a Support Person is necessary, however where an employee believes that a Support Person should be in attendance to protect the health and safety of the client or others, the following criteria shall be used in consulting with the client:

1. when there is a significant risk to the health and safety of the person with a disability or others (the mere possibility of risk is insufficient);2. when the risk is greater than the risk associated with other clients;3. when the risk cannot be eliminated or reduced by other means;4. when the assessment of the risk is based on consideration of the duration of the risk, the nature and severity of the potential harm, the likelihood that the potential harm will occur, and the imminence of the potential harm; and5. when the assessment of the risk is based on the individual’s actual characteristics, not merely on generalizations, misperceptions, ignorance or fears about a disability.

4. Notice of Service DisruptionsIn the event a temporary service disruption occurs that would limit a person with a disability from gaining access to FHT facilities, goods or service, the FHT will post notice or otherwise make the disruption known to clients in the following methods/places:

- Notice on entrance doors- Notice on website- Phone message

If an unexpected disruption occurs, persons with disabilities will be accommodated by the use of other means possible to deliver the goods and service, such as:· the goods and service delivery agent may provide the goods or service directly to the person with a disability at an alternate place and time, as deemed appropriate.

All notices of disruption shall include:

· the name of the event/service;· the normal service location being impacted;· alternate service locations, if available;· alternate service methods, if available;· hours of service availability;· contact information; and· any other information deemed appropriate to deliver a good or service.

5. TrainingAll employees of the Family Health Team (FHT) providing direct service to persons with a disability shall be trained in the various aspects of accessible client service delivery. All training, regardless of format, shall have regard for:· An overview of the purposes of the Accessibility Act and an awareness of the subject· Instruction on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of Disabilities· Instruction on interacting with people with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a guide dog, other service animal or a support person;· Instruction on the use of equipment or devices available, such as wheelchairs;· Instruction on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services.

Training shall be mandatory for all new employees upon their initial orientation. In addition, all employees will receive “refresher” training on a regular basis and more comprehensive training should there be changes to this policy.

Training records shall be maintained for all training completed under this Policy.

6. Feedback processFeedback may be provided by a person with a disability in the manner deemed most convenient to them, such as in person, by telephone, in writing, or by delivering an electronic e-mail.

Feedback may be provided directly to the service provider or:AdministratorMinto-Mapleton Family Health Team11 Andrews Drive WestDrayton ON N0G 1P0Phone: 519-638-2110Fax: 519-638-5096Email: sborges@mmfht.ca

All feedback will be kept in strict confidence and used to improve client service. In addition, the author of the feedback will be provided a response in the format in which the feedback was received outlining actions deemed appropriate, if any.

7. Notice of Availability of DocumentsThis policy and any other document deemed to be a key in the delivery of goods and service will be made available upon request in a format that takes into account the person’s disability to any person to whom it provides goods or services.Notwithstanding the above, this policy will be made available on the Family Health Team’s website: www.mmfht.ca and made available to any person to whom it provides goods or services by any other method or format as is reasonable in the circumstances.